The Fiddlers Daughter
by Brown-Eyed-Beauty1998
Summary: How did the Queen and King meet? flute playing Maria Smith and Prince Tyler try to be free. One from the Master and one from bounty hunters. Who's who?  Find out in The Fiddlers Daughter
1. Chapter 1

_This is the story of how The King and Queen came to be. Did you know that whenever a fiddle plays, someone falls in love? Maybe it's just for these 2 then._

"Maria," called Justin, her 21 year old brother, "Time for a song." Maria, at age 6, ran down the stairs. She sat on her brother's lap, waiting for her father to play the song. He came out with his fiddle and sat on the loveseat across from the dastardly duo.

"Ready, sweetie? Justin, you start." He started playing their song.

_Times are tough_

_People say it's not enough_

_And we'll never amount to_

_Anything_

Maria joined in with her powerful voice

_The war's never ending_

_Not getting the messages we're sending_

_Too bad we can't go_

_Anywhere_

_We are one_

_With the birds and the trees_

_We are equal_

_You and me_

_We know that we can fight_

_If we believe_

The song ended and Louise, her father, told her to go upstairs. She walked up, but listened to their conversation.

"When do you have to go back?" Her father was talking about the army. They wished Justin never signed up for it.

Justin sighed. "At the end of the week. Before you say anything, I save you and Maria doing what I do. I rather die than have you two die."

"I wasn't going to say anything, but you just got back last week! Won't they let you stay for an extra fortnight?" Justin shook his head no. Justin and Louis hugged.

Maria sat against the wall and cried. She had her life hard.

***6 years later***

Maria pulled her wavy, brunette hair into a ponytail. She put on her light blue dress with her white flats. Her father was going to perform once again, challenging others. He was the all-time champion for the past 5 years. He started playing after they got the letter on that cold, rainy April morning.

_Maria answered the door, revealing a man with thinning red hair. He appeared to be in his 30's. He stood up straight and said in a booming voice, "Hello, young girl! May I speak with the man of the house?" Maria rubbed her 7 year old ears as she walked up the stairs to get her father. When he came down, the man gave him a note and left swiftly._

_**I'm sorry to inform you that your son, Justin Smith, at age 21, has passed away on March 17. We will keep him in our honor, as well as you and your family. You'll be sent tickets to the funeral. Good day and Good life.**_

_** The Army**_

"Maria, are you ready? Let's go!__"Her father yelled. She hurried down the stairs, grabbed her flute, and walked out the door of the family she had left.


	2. Chapter 2

"Welcome, to the Fiddler's Challenge! Will anybody beat the Fiddler? Or will he stay champion for another year," Yelled the host. He pointed over to Louis and Maria. They bowed to the audience, who were cheering. They didn't mind her father being champion. They enjoyed it. They felt sorry for the contestant, but happy for Louis.

The first contestant was a young woman about twice the age of Maria. Her hair fell down to her waist, the fiery hair contrasting with her green dress. She was almost like a Christmas spirit. She must have been in the season because Christmas was only 2 weeks away. She propped the violin to her shoulder and played. She couldn't beat Maria's father, though.

After 3 brutal defeats, the last contestant came on the stage loudly, his black riding boots clicking against the wood. "Prepare to be defeated, Fiddler. You shall not need to know my name, although I'll beat you brutally." Louis laughed and placed the fiddle on his shoulder, but the man raised his hand.

"Let's say we make this interesting?" He said with a smirk on his face. "If I lose, I'll leave town forever, leaving empty handed." My father rubbed his chin, taking in his words

"And if you win, although that doesn't seem likely?"

He looked at Maria and pointed his bow. "Her. If I win, she leaves town with me. Do we have a deal?"

_Father would never do that to me, right? He loves me too much, _Maria thought to herself. Her jaw dropped when she saw her father shaking hands with the stranger. _Please don't lose, father._

The man played a slow and soft ballad. Then he broke out into something much more powerful. A strange feeling came to everyone as he played. Louis fell to the floor on his knees, defeated.

"You tricked me, you dirty little cheat. What did you play!" Louis was furious, but when he looked up, he found his daughter was gone, along with the stranger. The crowd gasped and murmured. Louis turned to the crowd. "Help me look, please? I have to find her!"

Maria awoke in a cottage. She had no idea where she was, so she couldn't call for help. "How dare you trick my father like that!" She said into the dark room. She didn't even know if there was anyone there. She felt a figure walking behind her. She spun around as the light from a just opened window showed the cheaters face. "I have no idea who you are, but-"

"Please, child. You're mine now, so call me the Master. This is your home now. Come here." He used his hand to signal her closer. She followed, looking out of the window.

It was beautiful. A garden was filled with almost every type of flower and more. There were animals hopping along the ground and outside. "Go ahead, it's yours now. You just can't leave the garden." He looked at her with his sky gray eyes. "Your life here will be the best life ever. Do you want to know why I wanted you to come back?" She followed him as he sat down in an armchair. He picked up a glass of tea. "You remind me of," he took a sip, "of my son. He disobeyed me, so I sent him away. But you won't disobey me. Will you?" She didn't say anything_. I just lost my father, and he was treating me like nothing happened_. Maria nodded, sparing some time.

She walked out into the garden. This was all hers; he was staying in a tower. She looked around, seeing the dark tower. He said it took 4 days to come there and back. She never understood why he lived so far. She lied down on the soft grass, letting it tickle her face. He left after their talk. She picked up a flower, placing it in her brown hair. She heard a rustling in the bushes. She stood up quickly, ready to take action.

It turned out to be just a bunny, and a cute one at that. It looked at her with his hazel eyes. She pets its cream fur. "Where's your family, little guy?" She said in a soft voice. The bunny's eyes just got sadder. _What a poor bunny._ "Well, that's alright. You can stay here with me." He started thumping his foot. "What should I name you?" After saying that, it started tricking and she heard lighting. "Lightning it is," She smiled as she walked inside, with the rabbit in her arms


	3. Chapter 3

"She may be here," yelled Louis. There was no luck. He had been searching for 3 years. Everyone had given up on him. There was no hope, but he didn't want to stop. He knew she was out there, he just had to look.

…

Maria woke up, bored now after 3 years. Her 16th birthday was in 2 days. She stretched, gave lightning some food, and began her chores. She then decided she had enough.

_It was 3 years to be exact  
that I gave up and that's a fact  
I have to do all these stupid chores  
and trust me, they are a bore_

_Cleaning, mopping, and dusting off the stairs  
I'm alone, does anybody care  
could I just relax all the time  
or sing songs that really rhyme_

_Be free, be loved  
I know where I'm going  
Finding some new adventures  
Finding gold and diamonds  
and some furs_

_I just want to be me._

She looked out her window later that night, finding a figure lurking in the bushes. She carefully walked out of her home, her rabbit slowly behind. "Come out, you stranger. Master, Is it you?" there was no answer. It quickly started running out of the bushes, but not necessarily towards her.

"We're going to find you, you greedy little prince!" So that's who it was. The people who just said that didn't sound very nice. Being the kind girl she was, she grabbed the boy, making him go "Oof," and pulled him into the house.

"Shush, my name's Maria. I know you're a prince, someone's trying to kill you, and that you're going to go hide." He quickly did so, but not before Maria got a good look of him. He was blonde, had green eyes, and was very masculine. He looked about 17. He was dressed in peasant attire. Must have been a disguise.

"Open up!" said the voices, banging on the doors. To avoid suspicion, she opened the door slowly.  
"You're not the prince…" Maria pretended like she never knew what he was talking about.  
"I'm sorry, there's no prince here," She replied softly. If only she knew that was true.

After the men left, she clapped so the boy would come out. He did so. "Let's get to know each other." She put Lightning in his cage. "I'm Maria, and you are..."  
"Tyler is my name. Nice to meet you." They shaked hands."  
"I want to get home, and I know you want something too, so I'll help you if you help me." He nodded to Maria's statement.  
"I want those guys to stop trying to get me so I can get home."  
"Alright, we'll leave when morning comes. Oh no, we have to be gone by noon tomorrow."  
"Why?" Tyler asked confused.  
"It's the reason why I'm leaving. But I'm no telling you the story yet."

She stared out at the last moonlight she would see before leaving, and went off to bed.


End file.
